Will you buying land this year? My spreadsheet for sorting out land properties. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16yqGcVxVsBVgnuLiBYDMSSaQpUl3FwRxRZXJAEIlmJ0/edit?usp=sharing
Hi Kristina how do you feel about the land lease? I saw a beautiful tiny home but they’re offering a land lease I kind of feel like this similar to HOA which I am not a fan of. I am on a fixed income due to me having medical issues and cancer and I just have to find the right property in the right tiny home cost of living is getting out of control now these days.
@@mc1618 personally Over the past 5 years land leased communities have been taken over by large corporations who jack up their rents so high it makes it unaffordable. There is no regulations with land leases and they have complete control what happens to the property whether you’ve paid on time or not. At any point they can kick you off the property for any reason. So in short, I’m not a fan.
I’m having major trouble keeping my connection here. I hope this question will finally go through! How do you suggest that we determine whether or not we would make an good fit in the community, if not the neighborhood, and visa versa? Neighbors DO count. Whoever said that “all politics are local” knew exactly what they were saying. Do agents such as yourself cover this ground? (Pun enjoyed but not intended!). 😊
Buying anything in modern times seems like “how much can useless groups squeeze money and sanity out of you” this is absolutely overwhelming. Thank you for posting videos like these to help out the little guy against these scams!
That is so true, the Internet streamlined scamming. Every transaction has a dozen corps, entities & agents like predators & scavengers lurking for an opportunity to get something for nothing.
@@bigjm3143 you'll rarely get the mineral rights to any land these days ( which is such BS imo) but you should most definitely make sure you have WATER & TIMER rights 👍🏻
I once saw 250 acres for sale at an amazing price and then i realized there was a road running through it. i looked at the name of the road and it was Flood Road lol. most of the property turned out to be wetland, it would be great for a hunting cabin on stilts maybe but not a home.
I was going to buy a plot of land in Florida so I could park my trailer camper. I was told that I was not allowed to. It was .20 acres for less than $8000. So, I walk away from the deal. If you’re serious buying land, make sure you do your research of what you can and can’t do.
I didn't know that you could buy land and didn't own the rights to the trees or buy land that is land locked. You brought up a lot of interesting information.
You may/may not own the mineral Rights. Depends on the state/province/canton. Also, on a ridge of 5 acre pieces we DID own the mineral rights, but a neighbor started selling his ground for septic fill and large pock marks were created, adding to the possible erosion of OUR property. Be informed, but sometimes even then...........
It's also possible to buy land that's isn't land locked, that has a right of way that comes with it to access it and then have your neighbor try to block you from it, requiring costly court fights to win back access to your property.
As a Retired RE Broker of rural ranch & mountain land & cabins, this video is invaluable to anyone looking to purchase land! Thank you for taking the time to give this information!
I purchased my house through owner financing(cash flow note.) When I did the title search through a title search company, it turned out even though the owner I was purchasing the house from had paid for it, he never had the title transfered. It worked out for me, took about a year to find the original owner to sign over the title to the person who was selling it to me. I'm happy the original owner was still alive and was a person with a good conscience. Because he could have easily said you didn't pay me for it. Or his heirs could have said that. My situation worked out, but I'm sure this is a lesson out there for somebody else.
As others said, ALWAYS get a lawyer for Real Estate transactions. They will know to put "subject to clean title search" (among other things) into your contract.
I would think the contract of sale, if the seller still had it, would make title transference simple; He rightfully paid for it so it was his to sell to you even if the owner that sold to him was deceased.
This is an incredibly concise yet cohesive and understandable deep dive into a realm I know NOTHING about, with a cheery positive attitude, and no fooling around with long drawn-out intros; just straight into the content. This is DIY gold, 100%. A service to UA-cam and the Internet. Thank you!!!
Not far from me is a swamp that dries out in a dry year. When it does, a for sale sign always pops up in front of it. They just let it sink into the swamp when it rains again. :)
If your home stedding or living off grid then you should make sure you have a water source and that your land has rights to access and to USE said water source. You can have a stream going through your land and NOT be allowed to pull water from it or even divert it for hydro power. Check and DOUBLE check when it comes to water rights.
Here in Southern California, it’s really important to make sure you don’t have endangered species on your property… including plant species! If you buy land with Joshua trees on it, for example, you are not allowed to clear them. Great video! Thanks!
@@jersydvl You never own land. You just rent it from the government which is why you have to pay taxes on the land. You also have to follow the law or you could lose the right to continue renting said land no matter how many improvements you have made.
Those are great as they already have a Certificate of Occupancy, which can be a lot of work and money to get...... And, as Kristina said, they typically already have all the services and they generally also have an actual street address, which is another often complex thing to get. Be wary of unlicensed/untaxed builds as these are often uninsurable and you can't get a mortgage on the - hence the "cash only" note in listings....
Check for protected wetlands designation if appropriate. Additionally, I had property that contained 50% Swamp and I was able to get reclassified as such lowering property taxes while not getting categorized as protected wetlands. Also, if there are bodies of water such as ponds, lakes or streams find out what agency has control over it and what regulations/restrictions apply. I knew a person who built a deck on a stream and they had to remove it.
@@KristinaSmallhorn My jurisdiction and many around it refer to the conservation areas as Resource Protection Areas (RPA's). They're usually stream valleys. The Park Authority or the local Conservation District may have an easement through the property to the RPA. On RPA's you can't even cut the grass or cut down a tree without the County Urban Foresters' approval. No fences or sheds in RPAs either, nothing. You basically pay taxes on land you can only walk through. I recently looked at an 8-acre lot, more than half is in an RPA and there is Park Authority easement, useless. You also want to check for sewer, storm water and utility easements. Also, Re-Zoning is very expensive in my jurisdiction, starting at over $16,000 for the application process and no guarantee of approval. You really don't want to try to put something where it is not already a by-right use for the zoning district unless you have the funds and don't mind the extra expense and gamble.
@@JC-xf5xb ...sounds like a money grab by the planning board ... want easement ...gotta pay the man some more ...power lines ...pay more ...permit to dig well ...more $$$$
Thanks will be making a list of these points so i can print out dozens of criteria lists to fill out for each property using excel spreadsheets looks like a good idea too taking the math out of it making things easily searchable
How to remove from hoa and defund them? This is my main goal for all purchases thus significantly increasing land values for myself others and the environment which i believe hoas to harm
as a well contractor if you are buying land with a well GET YOUR WELL INSPECTED so many people don't do this and then they have no water when they thought they did or they get sick from bad water
The spreadsheet needs a property tax column. 😉 That was the killer of my previous home building plans. Not just the current property tax, but what the property tax will be with a house on it. The land was affordable, but the property tax most certainly was not! 😕
Thank you so much! As a single mom whose been through it these past few years .. my next chapter in life is leading me to buy land and I cannot afford to make a mistake in purchase so trying to do my due diligence, and I truly appreciate this video!
A couple of things I would add are utility tap fee (if there's city utilities), taxes, before and after house build and Impact Fees! They range from $0 t0 $50,000 and I'm sure that's why you recommended finding land with some type of house already on it. You are the best!
Honestly in today's age if you are tapping into utilities for electric you're wasting your money when you SHOULD BE going solar. I mean its affordable now that you can get SOLAR GENERATORS that stack together and can power most of your entire house and they are also portable so if you wanna go on a trip and use them in your camper/rv you can too. They even come standard with 2 220 volt sockets for things like your washer and dryer and stove etc (albeit in the event of a power outage you're better having a 110v top style grill
@@XeroCool420 There are some municipalities that require to hook up to the utilities, but I understand it's a waste if you are not required. If only we could live on the land we paid for as we wish. Unfortunately, the Gov't doesn't want you to have anything that can't be taxed. It's so sad.
Great video. I am 80 YO and I still try and keep up with my education. Buying raw land is not for the novice unless you are prepared to do a ton of research. It can be a financial minefield.
Why are there so many regulations to owning property?! I'm only 22 and not even looking for a piece of land but I am shocked by how complicated the process is. Good video!
Off-Grid internet? I would highly recommend Starlink. We've had it for over 2 years now and it's been excellent. As a note, I work from home and we have a ton of electronics that connect to the internet, including streaming TV, etc. and it has handles it with no issues.
Don't forget about historical districts. Also is there debts for road paving, charges for garbage and plowing, protected animals or plants, taxes and for what structures, pull barn restrictions, hunting and fishing rights, groundwater contamination and depths in the area if you need to run a well... Go to the local county clerk's office and talk to people there. There might be a highway planned for the future to go right through there.
I was just looking at a property that was an old mining camp. It was gorgeous with a heavy river flowing through it. The realtor whispered something about it being a "superfund site" because the mining had poisoned the ground and water. Noped right out of there.
I'd add to check for nature restrictions. There are many nationwide. Some places you can not cut certain trees, some you can not use or build because of endangered or threatened or indigenous species (or if land has been labeled as such, whether or not that is true). I recall a lady in Florida bought a piece of land to build a custom home, as she was in a wheelchair and couldn't find a suitable home. She discovered she wasn't allowed to build after they broke ground and started the foundation. There was a common bird sited "on or near" her property that was thought to be "rare." An environmental group had some regulations put in place and was "outraged" and angry when she started building her home and notified the county. She was fined, yet appealed the decision. Turns out the bird they thought was "rare" was a very common bird, and in some places had been declared an invasive species, as they were killing a really endangered bird that was indigenous to an area near her property, yet her building wasn't any threat to the endangered birds. The bird that was thought to be so rare was a common blue jay that lives in a large part of the US and can cause issues for other birds. The more you know... Great review for things to look for! Thanks!
In many towns or cities you may get suckered into land that has the original subdivisions rules attached. It functions like an HOA, but there aren't any dues (no HOA was formed), but the city can still dictate min. square feet, style of home, etc...You may want a trailer tiny home only to find out that your home must be minimum 1100 square feet, and no trailers allowed ever. Do due dilligence.
@@WestHaddnin Deed restrictions. There is a guy near me who limits the number of chickens and livestock you can have on your 5+ acres. And he doesn't even understand pasture carrying rates so his restrictions are totally illogical. He put the same limit on goats or sheep as he has on a horse or a cow. Pastures can carry many more goats and sheep than cattle or horses so his restrictions make no sense at all.
Kristina, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for all of the super helpful information that you take the time to share! You are so knowledgeable and your fun personality always shines through in your videos. As a family that is searching for land/homestead, the info that you provide in so many of your videos just speaks directly to questions that arise during the search. THANK YOU! 👏🏽👏🏽
Something that wasn't covered. My brother ran into an easement issue where the local power company wrote the contract such that they had easement access to the entire piece of land. Not only that but if any buildings or structures blocked a direct route for them putting in new lines, the land owner would be required to move the structure or pay the power company to go around it. This easement would have been attached to the property, effectively ruining the resale value. After much work he managed to finally force them to give him a reasonable contract with easement along the back line of the property. Another issue was where my uncle bought a good size piece of property down in the Keys decades ago that he planned on building on. It ended up it was protected wetlands, even though it didn't look like it when he walked the property.
Make sure that there was no dumping or trash buried on the property or contamination from things like oil. You could end up with a huge bill for the clean up.
FYI: was looking at some rural acreage, had to have a 4wd to get down to the middle of it. And in 15 minutes here comes 2 guys walking with rifles. They were hunting! I called the owner, he said NO ONE had permission to be on his land! He called the Sheriff and the two guys were taken into custody, trespassing and hunting without a license. Their rifles were taken. Needless to say, the land was thought of as a no mans land and people used it as they wanted. A big consideration if one buys it. For a year or more you will be having to have people trespassed. And if you leave, your property will be vandalized and destroyed, all because YOU moved onto it. There is a segment of society that does NOT respect property lines. Guaranteed, you will meet them.
Wow..you must feel so proud of yourself for putting those people in jail and rifles taken. Couldn’t you just have kindly asked them to leave? Maybe say you just purchased the land? In rural life, we are kind to each other. You are some kind of tool.
For those kinds of instances there is literally a sign you can make which is painting a purple x on atleast each property corner fence post. A purple X means that land is a "Hunters warning" that the land is no trespassing and they will be shot if they do.
For me, when they watch me come out with what looks like a Gauss Accelerator powered by a 60v 12ah power tool battery and uses electricity to shoot metal projectiles at more then 200ft per second and when shot into ballistics gel just obliterates it. In other words when they see me walk up with a literal Gauss Accelerator (very similar to a rail gun and looks like it was pulled straight out of a video game) and watch me blow away a 40" diameter tree at its base with one projectile, they know that they want nothing cause if they take even one hit that limb will blow off like Murphy's did in Robocop
Also in the west because of water shortages do an aerial view of the area you want to purchase and see if there's a big agricultural company that has mega acres of land that requires thousands of gallons of water. Make sure the water wells that you have to put in aren't ridiculously deep. There are many towns where the water starting to dry up so get a water surveyor.
Yup! I remember, about 20 years ago, a co-worker and her husband bought a brand new home in a new development out in Morgantown PA area. It was beautiful and out in a rural area. HOWEVER, there were over 200 single family homes in that large development and they all relied 100% on well water (underground aquifer). Many of the homeowners were unaware of "conservation" and they emptied the aquifer! When she and her husband woke up one morning, they were horrified to just see only a few drops of water coming out of the faucet at their kitchen sink. This was also brought on by a drought that they were experiencing.
Doesn't help the gov allowed overseas farming here tapping into the water resources for money ober it's citizens in which they placed regulations on. Their wells get meters while a non U.S. can use what they need then ship the goods back overseas. While wells dry up. Complete sell out! People need to start sueing the states granting non regulation to Non U.S. entities. Then they wonder why people don't want to bring children into this world. They have gone beyond the statement of "Toooo far!"
The only lien that survives a TAX Deed sale, is the IRS, and ONLY if their lien was in place before the ad valorem taxes became due, here in Florida it’s November 1st.
I have watched many buying land videos. I must say yours was the best. You mentioned things NO one else did. It was so informative, that I had to keep stopping to make all the notes needed. I finally gave up! TMI. I just bookmarked it so I can refer back to it and then catch up on the notes. Thank you Kristina for a well put together and extremely helpful and knowledgeable video!!
My property was originally desert, then farm land. In the 30's it was subdivided into large lots. When I bought the home I found that it, and all the lots in the area did not come with the oil or mineral rights. Since this was in a mining area at the turn of century it made sense, some one kept or purchased the rights. It did come with water rights for the well and additional rights to the irrigation ditch. My father had a piece of property with a creek running thru it, but after doing research when I put it up for sale we found that a timber company owned the water rights because at the turn of the century the creek was dammed and used to float cut logs down to the main river and to the mill.
This is one of the most useful videos in such a short amount of time. Also, love the character scheme. This whole video left me smiling ear to ear at the end. Thanks for the content, Kristina! 🙏
As a Louisiana man, I would never go glamping. Lol. Thanks for the info. You and some other creators have helped me immensely. Looking to get off grid.
A lot of people still get charmed by the idea they can buy land and then do anything they want, but for better and worse buying land in the 21st century is actually buying a bundle of rights and restrictions over an area. For some people there's not a single parcel in the whole country that sells their desired rights.
Make sure that your land contract is contingent on perc/ other tests being to your satisfaction. I had my offer accepted on a piece of land that would have been “very expensive” to develop because it needed a mound system instead of a regular septic, and was able to back out!
As someone that has seen city people move out here in farm country let me give you a warning. Be prepared there may not be a Starbuck's, grocery, Macdonald's or Big box store for miles. Don't be shocked by smells coming from farms and noise and light from farm equipment at night while you trying to sleep. And if you buy, were it snows don't expect us to drop everything to plow you out.
One of the things I have found in looking for retirement locations in various states is how difficult it is not only to find out the zoning for a particular property but even the detailed definitions. Everybody has different zones and rules to go along with them and even if you manage to find them they are not written in plain English half the time. Another thing that concerns me is what the zoning is nearby. Even if I find a property zoned to allow my homestead with animals and hunting etc allowed what is the likelihood that in a few years some worthless politicians may try to rezone it more restrictively. So far I have never been able to find a county map with areas of zoning clearly marked. It almost seems like the powers that be want to keep it secret.
@@ORD80 the thing with hosting the zoning map online is that it's always changing which requires frequent updates or an entirely online system. Most of the counties you'll find the land you want are smaller and don't have the budget to pay for the online hosting for the third party systems. Additionally as someone who works with counties to get this/similar information, as soon as counties go online for this kind of thing the work gets outsourced to other countries. Many of the counties stay offline specifically for this- they know the locals who do the job, and if they went online the locals would have to either cut their prices or go out of business.
You also have to check the future annexation plans of any nearby city or town. The last thing you want is to buy in the county and end up annexed into a city.
Smart lady absolutely great advise I have bought dozens of properties over my 62 years landlocked land isn't worth much ! Mineral rights, timber, etc are very important also perc tests for sewer are very important some land won't even pass! Liens, free and clear titles very important! Utilities are very important and zoning!
Consider that any desert plot may have bad flooding issues as well because monsoon season is very short and provides immense amounts of water very quickly. Be wary of desert properties that have NO grade whatsover as they can be difficult to build on
Thank you for this. There is a so much new information. Its scary buying anything for the first time and we sure payed way more for our loan and process than we needed to because, we didn't know there was things we did not need to have or could have had. Keep up the great videos!
Nice vid about buying land. One personal experience I want to add with regards to flood zones. If you can, go and check the property during a heavy downpour if you can, even if you've determined that the land is not in a flood zone. My current house is nowhere near a flood zone. HOWEVER!!! It is the low point for about six other houses, i.e: all the runoff from their lawns runs into mine. Fortunately, the in-house sump system we eventually installed now makes sure the downstairs doesn't get flooded during a heavy rainfall.
Headsup, Jeff : our neighborhood is like yours. Our neighbor's house is the default collection point Nd they also have a sump pump to keep the lower level dry. BUT if the power goes out (which can happen in a storm), that pump wont work. Best to have a backup power source at least for that pump.
@@northernpianotuner3319 we splurged and got a great system. Been in place for about fifteen years and only had to replace a pump once and that was on the company's dime, not mine.
1. Make spreadsheets with acreage price and zoning with pros and cons 2. Look for too much mud or watery dips 3. Get a survey 4. Think about sewage, driveway and driving access, and internet
I would look for land or property that has an old mobile home or house on it. It should already have a septic system on it. In most states if septic is on the property you can start staying, camping, living on the property immediately. Also for off grid power. Think about getting a newer solar generator with 15 year battery cycles. Cheaper than a complete solar system. You just add the amount of solar from solar panels that you want. 👍🏽 A lot cheaper than a $12k and higher solar system.
You forgot to tell people that when they purchase the land, they have to pay monthly land tax to the government. The amount is small at first, but once you construct a house on that land, the monthly land tax will sky rocket. Land tax is valued by the value of the home. If there is no home on that land, then the amount will be very cheap. So if you have an expensive home, expect the monthly land tax to go up by a big chunk. I learned this the hard way.
Just blows me away that individuals whom improve with adding a home or any improvement get charged extra for doing so. It's such a double slap in the face when it should actually decrease the tax payment until said owner actually moves on ect because no profit is being made. If mineral rights were sold taxes should be split accordingly.... Because if they come in and log 75% the person holding those rights is the one really profiting. Born into a world of Lunatics.
Kristina, I am originally from Lake Charles but moved to California after graduating high school. Glad I found your video. I am trying to decide on a location for a tiny home in the desert. And what type of tiny home to buy. You gave me some great tips in this video. Thanks 🙂
Kristina, you never cease to awe me with your knowledge. This 10 min nugget opened my eyes even more so now that I'm in the process of a land purchase. I'm definitely going to present questions to the realtor regarding the things you mentioned, stay blessed 🙂👍🏽
I saved this video in the first minute! Very informative for buying land versus a suburban home. The information you gave would give me confidence that I am buying the property I desire. I am sure this video will help many buyers.
I almost bought terrible land in St Augustine Florida. Not only was it flooded the day the surveyors came- but the property was protected & I would have to buy thousands of acres in a Forest somewhere else entirely- in order to use a fraction of my property. Which I found out because I was trying to arrange a mulch delivery- THEY were the ones with the map that showed it was restricted- 🚫 I would have been fined thousands of dollars every day until the mulch was removed!! 😮 Insane.
All so so SO important to know!! When the property next to my mom's finally foreclosed after decades of nothing on it, she was excited to buy it to add to her acreage. But some rando at the auction swooped in and bought it for 10X the asking price! Out of curiosity, my mom asked what he planned to do with it. He said it would make a great summer cottage plot and he couldn't wait to start building. Then my mom asked if he knew there was no land access... Needless to say, he was stunned! He knew about the road that goes to her house, assumed it was public and that he could just extend it. 😂 No sir! Private road on private property. No access through the neighbor on the other side either and the front of the property was blocked by a railroad, which is guaranteed to refuse access unless he knows a couple of insanely rich and powerful people...Only way in to his new property is by boat 😅 Last time we saw them walking onto the property (about a year ago) his wife did NOT look pleased. Expensive lesson to learn.
Solid Gold Kristina! Top notch vid production too. Mineral rights, easements in many areas. Cost of putting in culverts for drive ways or lanes. Utility companies cost to bring power if you have to buy and set poles. It's exhaustive!
AWESOME!!! I did NOT believe you when you assured me that there would be things in this video I had never heard of. There were at least THREE!!!! KUDDOS TO YOU. I have been researching land for the past 2 years and you caught me with 3 things that I did not know. 😂 I LOVE YOU!! I knew most of what you said; but you totally educated me to 3 things. 😂 Almost all things I watch now I ALWAYS KNOW EVERYTHING that they will say and I am NEVER surprised. WE LOVE YOU!!
Something I've always found is that it's almost always cheaper to buy a piece of land that already has a house on it, even if the roof has collapsed. It may already have water and sewer, and lots of times it's a much easier process to get permits because lots of times if you save even a little bit of the house it is a remodel as far as permitting is concerned. Sometimes even just saving the foundation is enough. I did a house demo some years back and they had to save the foundation and one wall. And that was a nice wall with a fieldstone fireplace taking up most of it. That was enough for the homeowner to permit the job as a remodel. Of course you have to do your homework, different municipalities will have different rules
In addition to all you mention, I advise to research to know if water via a well is feasible on the property. I say this, as you can't live there without water, even if the rest of what you mentioned is in place or can be accomplished.
Missed one key point. Water municipal supply and wells. What are the drilling conditions for the well or what are the costs for municipal water hookup.
Started watching this video knowing very little. Got to the end and realized I knew less than nothing about buying property. Thank you so much for making this.
THANK U SooOOOOOOO MUCH!! I am in the process of purchasing land in Detroit Michigan & have plans to buy land in Baton Rouge I am a Farmer. So now I know what questions to ask in Detroit & I when I reach Baton Rouge I will Look U up DEFINITELY.....subscribing Right now
If you are able to rezone ALWAYS re-zone rural. Residential limits what you and future buyers can do with the property! This means it will open you up to more buyers especially if you expect to sell eventually.
@@stevenbittinger5128 only if your intention is too pack as many homes in as small an area as possible. Otherwise it will allow you to plants more crops and have animals for food and supplies. In many residentially zoned areas you can actually be fined or even arrested for having a an animal other than dog, cat, or other traditional pet. (This does not include chickens, ducks, rabbits...)
Yoooo this is awesome. A friend of mine who got into journalism worked under the tutelage of a widely-respected journalist who gave him this advice for writing great content: provide useful information in every sentence. I appreciate the level of not f-ing around you put into that.
I've heard of these all before BUT not in the same VERY entertaining video. YOU, young lady are freaking awesome!!! Thank you for what you do. Stay amazing!! All the best to you always. Ciao!
There should be a law that mandates an owner to document all this info with the city or county. Only after this is done should sale be permitted. All declaration should be signed under penalty of perjury. That would significantly reduce fraud among sellers, and buyer would buy with confidence.
One thing that is county-specific, but when I was going to subdivide my acerage, in order to put a home on the split part, there had to be 150 feet of road adjacent to it. So... when you're downtown at the courthouse, ask about the requirements to put a new home on a plot. Also, as she said, the best 'land' buy have old MHs or houses on them... (which will cost about $2000 to get rid of)
Wow Kristina....I have learned so much from this episode. Mind-blowing and will save me lots of money when I do decide to buy land. All of those tips are very important and thank you so much for sharing. I really feel more confident with the information learned via this video today. Keep up the great work.
Many states and their counties now have their own website for the county assessors office, and in most cases you can now view property ownership, even on raw land, on the internet without having to contact a title company. Its a lot easier for people to do a quick online search verse call a company that may take a week to get back to your voicemail.
The timing of this pertinent information is impeccable. Thank you! Glad your video popped up. I just subscribed. Many things to think about before plopping money down on a piece of land.
This is the best video that I have watched on the subject. Most things I had thought about but others I had no idea. Thanks for such an informative video!
I love your video on purchasing land I’m a real estate broker here in Florida and everything that you have there applies to the people that I work with and mentor in my own small company. I’m planning on presenting your UA-cam to my group of 10 or 12 people tomorrow morning on Monday because it’s so well done I couldn’t of said the items that you had in a better way thank you so much for that and thank you for sharing I was wondering if you can give a little bit of a bio about your background you’re obviously a professional and I really appreciate what you’ve put out there!
Just found your channel. Looking to buy property. Tired of paying rent in this awful city. Thanks sooooooooo much for this video. I have learned more in this 10 minutes if I were to do my own research .YOOOOOOU ARE AMAZING and I look forward to reviewing you other videos for more education. 😊❤👍!!!
Remind me of this one property a coworker told me. He said a person can buy the land but there is no way for the new owner to get to his land except by air.
Talk about great timing on putting this video up! I have been looking at some land in the Oklahoma City area with plans on building a house, my other plan is on also making it a rental property. I already own a Triplex but now I feel like building a brand new house that way I know there won't be any problems with it, at least for a while.
great video, thanks. Couple of other considerations to pile on ... Septic system in place needs to be verified that it's been constructed properly, & still functioning well. Also, that it's within the restrictions of distance from property lines & more importantly from a well. Another thing to observe is the natural ground cover that might tell you a bit about the drainage ability or water retention. You could also ask about any geotecnical work done on property (soil investigation), or any holes dug by a machine that would tell a story of soil conditions. cheers jv
Thank you Kristina!!!! I am retired an I consider buying lend next to the lake or a pond for a cabin for fishing thank you for the information end you knowledge!!!! You open my eyes!!!! thank you very match !!!!!!
You forgot Fire zones! In lots of parts of the southwest US, if your land is in a firezone, you might not be able to even afford the insurance IF you can even get it! USAA is one of the few banks that will consistently cover homes/land in fire zones and not totally break the bank.
MANY years ago when I was 19 (I am no 66 y.o.) I put a deposit on a 22 acre piece of land in Kerhonkson NY (upstake in the Catskills). The title search came back showing a 99 year lease (about 70 left) of the mineral rights to Gulf and Weston. I needed permission to drill a well for water. I said no thanks and got my deposit back. With my like I would have hit oil or gas and gotten no $$$ benefits.
Kristina, could you do a video on going through the search process and purchasing a prefab or a double wide? As if you were the customer, what to watch out for and negotiating a deal? Like financing or money up front and how to better your position in the deal? All the fees and gotchas to watch out for?
Great "stay out of trouble" worksheet! Most buyers coming from somewhere else....its worth mentioning, don't rely/take word of local seller's pros, or local title pros, etc, for any of the info. Really easy to get "homered" ...and double that if you're selling such a property from outside the area...
Will you buying land this year? My spreadsheet for sorting out land properties. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16yqGcVxVsBVgnuLiBYDMSSaQpUl3FwRxRZXJAEIlmJ0/edit?usp=sharing
Hi Kristina how do you feel about the land lease? I saw a beautiful tiny home but they’re offering a land lease I kind of feel like this similar to HOA which I am not a fan of. I am on a fixed income due to me having medical issues and cancer and I just have to find the right property in the right tiny home cost of living is getting out of control now these days.
@@mc1618 personally Over the past 5 years land leased communities have been taken over by large corporations who jack up their rents so high it makes it unaffordable. There is no regulations with land leases and they have complete control what happens to the property whether you’ve paid on time or not. At any point they can kick you off the property for any reason. So in short, I’m not a fan.
I hope so! Not without your spreadsheet though, thanks a million for saving us a million probably.
I’m having major trouble keeping my connection here. I hope this question will finally go through! How do you suggest that we determine whether or not we would make an good fit in the community, if not the neighborhood, and visa versa? Neighbors DO count. Whoever said that “all politics are local” knew exactly what they were saying. Do agents such as yourself cover this ground? (Pun enjoyed but not intended!). 😊
@@KristinaSmallhorn you look like my high elf character from oblivion
Buying anything in modern times seems like “how much can useless groups squeeze money and sanity out of you” this is absolutely overwhelming. Thank you for posting videos like these to help out the little guy against these scams!
That is so true, the Internet streamlined scamming. Every transaction has a dozen corps, entities & agents like predators & scavengers lurking for an opportunity to get something for nothing.
I don't even see the point in staying in the USA at this point.
@@TechCarnivore1 guns and cheap land are all I can think of
Yeah that's kinda the entire idea behind capitalism.
@@seand.5535 The land isn't cheap compared to elsewhere.
If you don't have mineral rights and timber rights, keep walking. it's not worth the hassle like HOA
@@bigjm3143 no one gives mineral rights nowadays
The railroad pretty much owns most mineral rights in Texas.
In some states, mineral rights were never given away by the federal or state governments to begin with.
@@bigjm3143 you'll rarely get the mineral rights to any land these days ( which is such BS imo) but you should most definitely make sure you have WATER & TIMER rights 👍🏻
As a retired land surveyor-- listen to everything she's saying.
Thank you for the kudos.
How would one go about becoming a land surveyor?
@@nyreetrottman878 check with your state to find out what the requirements are. They will be different in each state.
Ditto
@@nyreetrottman878 to become licensed is a LONG process!!!
I once saw 250 acres for sale at an amazing price and then i realized there was a road running through it. i looked at the name of the road and it was Flood Road lol. most of the property turned out to be wetland, it would be great for a hunting cabin on stilts maybe but not a home.
Or a nature and wildlife preserve. As all wetlands should be.
I was going to buy a plot of land in Florida so I could park my trailer camper. I was told that I was not allowed to. It was .20 acres for less than $8000. So, I walk away from the deal. If you’re serious buying land, make sure you do your research of what you can and can’t do.
you could turn it into a hunting location and actually make quitre the money of it
@adambester3673 now your a farmer, or atleast have great farm land.
@@yorgivon-schmourgeussborgi that's not how Houston was built.
I didn't know that you could buy land and didn't own the rights to the trees or buy land that is land locked. You brought up a lot of interesting information.
Thank you for watching.
I was also so surprised to hear that.
You may/may not own the mineral Rights. Depends on the state/province/canton. Also, on a ridge of 5 acre pieces we DID own the mineral rights, but a neighbor started selling his ground for septic fill and large pock marks were created, adding to the possible erosion of OUR property. Be informed, but sometimes even then...........
It's also possible to buy land that's isn't land locked, that has a right of way that comes with it to access it and then have your neighbor try to block you from it, requiring costly court fights to win back access to your property.
Yes, they say U have to check to see what U actually own. Streams & things like that look like it supposed to be yours, it ain't! Ugh
As a Retired RE Broker of rural ranch & mountain land & cabins, this video is invaluable to anyone looking to purchase land! Thank you for taking the time to give this information!
Why did you capitalize "Retired RE Broker"? It's just retired RE broker. No biggie, I had a few seconds to spare so I thought I'd post.
I purchased my house through owner financing(cash flow note.) When I did the title search through a title search company, it turned out even though the owner I was purchasing the house from had paid for it, he never had the title transfered. It worked out for me, took about a year to find the original owner to sign over the title to the person who was selling it to me. I'm happy the original owner was still alive and was a person with a good conscience. Because he could have easily said you didn't pay me for it. Or his heirs could have said that. My situation worked out, but I'm sure this is a lesson out there for somebody else.
Important lesson why you always need lawyers involved in real estate purchases
That's what a lawyer is supposed to do if you do due diligence.
As others said, ALWAYS get a lawyer for Real Estate transactions. They will know to put "subject to clean title search" (among other things) into your contract.
Wow, you are a lucky person
I would think the contract of sale, if the seller still had it, would make title transference simple; He rightfully paid for it so it was his to sell to you even if the owner that sold to him was deceased.
This is an incredibly concise yet cohesive and understandable deep dive into a realm I know NOTHING about, with a cheery positive attitude, and no fooling around with long drawn-out intros; just straight into the content. This is DIY gold, 100%. A service to UA-cam and the Internet. Thank you!!!
Not far from me is a swamp that dries out in a dry year. When it does, a for sale sign always pops up in front of it. They just let it sink into the swamp when it rains again. :)
I'd put a house boat on it lol
FEMA has flood zone maps you can access on line.
Use them.
@@rickt10 And in the south especially. Louisiana isn't the only southern state with large areas of swamps, bayous, and marshes!
I own a land like that, if it's zoned for agricultural use then it's one of the best pieces of land you can buy for a field
Kush
Please explain further? Why wetlands are important in Agriculture?
Is it beneficial to prevent erosion?
If your home stedding or living off grid then you should make sure you have a water source and that your land has rights to access and to USE said water source. You can have a stream going through your land and NOT be allowed to pull water from it or even divert it for hydro power. Check and DOUBLE check when it comes to water rights.
How to check if a buyer has water right or not? Which city office know those things?
@@handsomejohnjohnthe one that taxes you - is a start
Here in Southern California, it’s really important to make sure you don’t have endangered species on your property… including plant species! If you buy land with Joshua trees on it, for example, you are not allowed to clear them. Great video! Thanks!
There's protected ground squirrel zones out in the Mojave too.
Just go through and bulldoze everything! Claim ignorance if it is brought up.
@@mike-sk2li a couple in Joshua tree did that and the state is making them replace every tree and pay an enormous fine
my land, my trees
@@jersydvl You never own land. You just rent it from the government which is why you have to pay taxes on the land. You also have to follow the law or you could lose the right to continue renting said land no matter how many improvements you have made.
I was avoiding land with old burned down or run down houses on them. Thank you for that excellent advice!
Those are great as they already have a Certificate of Occupancy, which can be a lot of work and money to get...... And, as Kristina said, they typically already have all the services and they generally also have an actual street address, which is another often complex thing to get. Be wary of unlicensed/untaxed builds as these are often uninsurable and you can't get a mortgage on the - hence the "cash only" note in listings....
Check for protected wetlands designation if appropriate. Additionally, I had property that contained 50% Swamp and I was able to get reclassified as such lowering property taxes while not getting categorized as protected wetlands. Also, if there are bodies of water such as ponds, lakes or streams find out what agency has control over it and what regulations/restrictions apply. I knew a person who built a deck on a stream and they had to remove it.
100% true.
@@KristinaSmallhorn My jurisdiction and many around it refer to the conservation areas as Resource Protection Areas (RPA's). They're usually stream valleys. The Park Authority or the local Conservation District may have an easement through the property to the RPA. On RPA's you can't even cut the grass or cut down a tree without the County Urban Foresters' approval. No fences or sheds in RPAs either, nothing. You basically pay taxes on land you can only walk through. I recently looked at an 8-acre lot, more than half is in an RPA and there is Park Authority easement, useless. You also want to check for sewer, storm water and utility easements. Also, Re-Zoning is very expensive in my jurisdiction, starting at over $16,000 for the application process and no guarantee of approval. You really don't want to try to put something where it is not already a by-right use for the zoning district unless you have the funds and don't mind the extra expense and gamble.
@@JC-xf5xb ...sounds like a money grab by the planning board ... want easement ...gotta pay the man some more ...power lines ...pay more ...permit to dig well ...more $$$$
Thanks will be making a list of these points so i can print out dozens of criteria lists to fill out for each property using excel spreadsheets looks like a good idea too taking the math out of it making things easily searchable
How to remove from hoa and defund them? This is my main goal for all purchases thus significantly increasing land values for myself others and the environment which i believe hoas to harm
as a well contractor if you are buying land with a well GET YOUR WELL INSPECTED so many people don't do this and then they have no water when they thought they did or they get sick from bad water
The spreadsheet needs a property tax column. 😉
That was the killer of my previous home building plans. Not just the current property tax, but what the property tax will be with a house on it. The land was affordable, but the property tax most certainly was not! 😕
You can add that to yours. Here is a blank copy of mine. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16yqGcVxVsBVgnuLiBYDMSSaQpUl3FwRxRZXJAEIlmJ0/edit?usp=sharing
@@KristinaSmallhorn shade...
Thank you so much! As a single mom whose been through it these past few years .. my next chapter in life is leading me to buy land and I cannot afford to make a mistake in purchase so trying to do my due diligence, and I truly appreciate this video!
Hii
Hii
A couple of things I would add are utility tap fee (if there's city utilities), taxes, before and after house build and Impact Fees! They range from $0 t0 $50,000 and I'm sure that's why you recommended finding land with some type of house already on it. You are the best!
Honestly in today's age if you are tapping into utilities for electric you're wasting your money when you SHOULD BE going solar. I mean its affordable now that you can get SOLAR GENERATORS that stack together and can power most of your entire house and they are also portable so if you wanna go on a trip and use them in your camper/rv you can too. They even come standard with 2 220 volt sockets for things like your washer and dryer and stove etc (albeit in the event of a power outage you're better having a 110v top style grill
Taxes can be huge depending on the state. That's definitely an important one to look at.
Impact Fees? I had to look it up. 😮 America is greedy
@@XeroCool420 There are some municipalities that require to hook up to the utilities, but I understand it's a waste if you are not required. If only we could live on the land we paid for as we wish. Unfortunately, the Gov't doesn't want you to have anything that can't be taxed. It's so sad.
@@XeroCool420 liberal.
Basically explained all of the due diligence for real estate agents, civil analysts, architects and surveyors. Very useful video!
Great video. I am 80 YO and I still try and keep up with my education. Buying raw land is not for the novice unless you are prepared to do a ton of research. It can be a financial minefield.
are you taking the clot shots though?
My daughter bought a house in Louisiana recently and it was a big mistake the crime is unbelievable
@@JustinMiales 😭why come here
@@JustinMiales it’s Louisiana what did y’all expect
Why are there so many regulations to owning property?! I'm only 22 and not even looking for a piece of land but I am shocked by how complicated the process is. Good video!
Lord
Yeah you don't really own land it's a gimmick
@@riverside321 TRUE
Answer: Liberal Government Policies
@@superjeffstanton ha
Off-Grid internet? I would highly recommend Starlink. We've had it for over 2 years now and it's been excellent. As a note, I work from home and we have a ton of electronics that connect to the internet, including streaming TV, etc. and it has handles it with no issues.
True.
Don't forget about historical districts. Also is there debts for road paving, charges for garbage and plowing, protected animals or plants, taxes and for what structures, pull barn restrictions, hunting and fishing rights, groundwater contamination and depths in the area if you need to run a well... Go to the local county clerk's office and talk to people there. There might be a highway planned for the future to go right through there.
I was just looking at a property that was an old mining camp. It was gorgeous with a heavy river flowing through it. The realtor whispered something about it being a "superfund site" because the mining had poisoned the ground and water. Noped right out of there.
I'd add to check for nature restrictions. There are many nationwide. Some places you can not cut certain trees, some you can not use or build because of endangered or threatened or indigenous species (or if land has been labeled as such, whether or not that is true).
I recall a lady in Florida bought a piece of land to build a custom home, as she was in a wheelchair and couldn't find a suitable home. She discovered she wasn't allowed to build after they broke ground and started the foundation. There was a common bird sited "on or near" her property that was thought to be "rare." An environmental group had some regulations put in place and was "outraged" and angry when she started building her home and notified the county.
She was fined, yet appealed the decision. Turns out the bird they thought was "rare" was a very common bird, and in some places had been declared an invasive species, as they were killing a really endangered bird that was indigenous to an area near her property, yet her building wasn't any threat to the endangered birds.
The bird that was thought to be so rare was a common blue jay that lives in a large part of the US and can cause issues for other birds.
The more you know...
Great review for things to look for! Thanks!
In many towns or cities you may get suckered into land that has the original subdivisions rules attached. It functions like an HOA, but there aren't any dues (no HOA was formed), but the city can still dictate min. square feet, style of home, etc...You may want a trailer tiny home only to find out that your home must be minimum 1100 square feet, and no trailers allowed ever. Do due dilligence.
You can “Vacate & Replat” the lot. It gets rid of the old requirements and you can add new ones
How is that even legal.
@@WestHaddnin Deed restrictions. There is a guy near me who limits the number of chickens and livestock you can have on your 5+ acres. And he doesn't even understand pasture carrying rates so his restrictions are totally illogical. He put the same limit on goats or sheep as he has on a horse or a cow. Pastures can carry many more goats and sheep than cattle or horses so his restrictions make no sense at all.
Kristina, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for all of the super helpful information that you take the time to share! You are so knowledgeable and your fun personality always shines through in your videos.
As a family that is searching for land/homestead, the info that you provide in so many of your videos just speaks directly to questions that arise during the search.
THANK YOU! 👏🏽👏🏽
I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. Best of luck finding your néw homestead.
A perc test is a percolation test (tests to characterize how water filtrates through a soil medium)
As a person who will be a 1st time homeowner, I really appreciate your knowledge.👍🏼
Something that wasn't covered. My brother ran into an easement issue where the local power company wrote the contract such that they had easement access to the entire piece of land. Not only that but if any buildings or structures blocked a direct route for them putting in new lines, the land owner would be required to move the structure or pay the power company to go around it. This easement would have been attached to the property, effectively ruining the resale value. After much work he managed to finally force them to give him a reasonable contract with easement along the back line of the property.
Another issue was where my uncle bought a good size piece of property down in the Keys decades ago that he planned on building on. It ended up it was protected wetlands, even though it didn't look like it when he walked the property.
Make sure that there was no dumping or trash buried on the property or contamination from things like oil. You could end up with a huge bill for the clean up.
FYI: was looking at some rural acreage, had to have a 4wd to get down to the middle of it. And in 15 minutes here comes 2 guys walking with rifles. They were hunting! I called the owner, he said NO ONE had permission to be on his land! He called the Sheriff and the two guys were taken into custody, trespassing and hunting without a license. Their rifles were taken. Needless to say, the land was thought of as a no mans land and people used it as they wanted. A big consideration if one buys it. For a year or more you will be having to have people trespassed. And if you leave, your property will be vandalized and destroyed, all because YOU moved onto it. There is a segment of society that does NOT respect property lines. Guaranteed, you will meet them.
Wow..you must feel so proud of yourself for putting those people in jail and rifles taken.
Couldn’t you just have kindly asked them to leave? Maybe say you just purchased the land? In rural life, we are kind to each other. You are some kind of tool.
Fences, cameras, firearms
For those kinds of instances there is literally a sign you can make which is painting a purple x on atleast each property corner fence post. A purple X means that land is a "Hunters warning" that the land is no trespassing and they will be shot if they do.
For me, when they watch me come out with what looks like a Gauss Accelerator powered by a 60v 12ah power tool battery and uses electricity to shoot metal projectiles at more then 200ft per second and when shot into ballistics gel just obliterates it. In other words when they see me walk up with a literal Gauss Accelerator (very similar to a rail gun and looks like it was pulled straight out of a video game) and watch me blow away a 40" diameter tree at its base with one projectile, they know that they want nothing cause if they take even one hit that limb will blow off like Murphy's did in Robocop
I take it you’re from the city?
Also in the west because of water shortages do an aerial view of the area you want to purchase and see if there's a big agricultural company that has mega acres of land that requires thousands of gallons of water. Make sure the water wells that you have to put in aren't ridiculously deep. There are many towns where the water starting to dry up so get a water surveyor.
Yup! I remember, about 20 years ago, a co-worker and her husband bought a brand new home in a new development out in Morgantown PA area. It was beautiful and out in a rural area.
HOWEVER, there were over 200 single family homes in that large development and they all relied 100% on well water (underground aquifer). Many of the homeowners were unaware of "conservation" and they emptied the aquifer! When she and her husband woke up one morning, they were horrified to just see only a few drops of water coming out of the faucet at their kitchen sink. This was also brought on by a drought that they were experiencing.
Doesn't help the gov allowed overseas farming here tapping into the water resources for money ober it's citizens in which they placed regulations on. Their wells get meters while a non U.S. can use what they need then ship the goods back overseas. While wells dry up. Complete sell out! People need to start sueing the states granting non regulation to Non U.S. entities. Then they wonder why people don't want to bring children into this world. They have gone beyond the statement of "Toooo far!"
I did not know a property sold for taxes might be subject to other liens still WHAT an eye opener. THANK YOU!!!
The only lien that survives a TAX Deed sale, is the IRS, and ONLY if their lien was in place before the ad valorem taxes became due, here in Florida it’s November 1st.
I have watched many buying land videos. I must say yours was the best. You mentioned things NO one else did. It was so informative, that I had to keep stopping to make all the notes needed. I finally gave up! TMI. I just bookmarked it so I can refer back to it and then catch up on the notes. Thank you Kristina for a well put together and extremely helpful and knowledgeable video!!
My property was originally desert, then farm land. In the 30's it was subdivided into large lots. When I bought the home I found that it, and all the lots in the area did not come with the oil or mineral rights. Since this was in a mining area at the turn of century it made sense, some one kept or purchased the rights. It did come with water rights for the well and additional rights to the irrigation ditch. My father had a piece of property with a creek running thru it, but after doing research when I put it up for sale we found that a timber company owned the water rights because at the turn of the century the creek was dammed and used to float cut logs down to the main river and to the mill.
This is one of the most useful videos in such a short amount of time. Also, love the character scheme. This whole video left me smiling ear to ear at the end.
Thanks for the content, Kristina! 🙏
As a Louisiana man, I would never go glamping. Lol. Thanks for the info. You and some other creators have helped me immensely. Looking to get off grid.
A lot of people still get charmed by the idea they can buy land and then do anything they want, but for better and worse buying land in the 21st century is actually buying a bundle of rights and restrictions over an area. For some people there's not a single parcel in the whole country that sells their desired rights.
Make sure that your land contract is contingent on perc/ other tests being to your satisfaction. I had my offer accepted on a piece of land that would have been “very expensive” to develop because it needed a mound system instead of a regular septic, and was able to back out!
What was the purpose of a mound? Could you just use an aerobic system to drain instead of a drain field?
@@infotechsailor I may be in a similar situation. It may depend on How Much Area is required for the Septic.
every day @justthink5854
As someone that has seen city people move out here in farm country let me give you a warning. Be prepared there may not be a Starbuck's, grocery, Macdonald's or Big box store for miles. Don't be shocked by smells coming from farms and noise and light from farm equipment at night while you trying to sleep. And if you buy, were it snows don't expect us to drop everything to plow you out.
One of the things I have found in looking for retirement locations in various states is how difficult it is not only to find out the zoning for a particular property but even the detailed definitions. Everybody has different zones and rules to go along with them and even if you manage to find them they are not written in plain English half the time.
Another thing that concerns me is what the zoning is nearby. Even if I find a property zoned to allow my homestead with animals and hunting etc allowed what is the likelihood that in a few years some worthless politicians may try to rezone it more restrictively.
So far I have never been able to find a county map with areas of zoning clearly marked. It almost seems like the powers that be want to keep it secret.
You can go to the local planning and zoning office and they have the map.
@@ORD80 the thing with hosting the zoning map online is that it's always changing which requires frequent updates or an entirely online system. Most of the counties you'll find the land you want are smaller and don't have the budget to pay for the online hosting for the third party systems. Additionally as someone who works with counties to get this/similar information, as soon as counties go online for this kind of thing the work gets outsourced to other countries. Many of the counties stay offline specifically for this- they know the locals who do the job, and if they went online the locals would have to either cut their prices or go out of business.
You also have to check the future annexation plans of any nearby city or town. The last thing you want is to buy in the county and end up annexed into a city.
Smart lady absolutely great advise I have bought dozens of properties over my 62 years landlocked land isn't worth much ! Mineral rights, timber, etc are very important also perc tests for sewer are very important some land won't even pass! Liens, free and clear titles very important! Utilities are very important and zoning!
This gives me so much to write down for my real estate clients and for me if I consider buying land.. thank you again. Love what you put out.
Thats awesome Jackie, I have several other land buying videos if you are looking for more land buying information for your clients.
Yeah, land is a wonderful benefit investment
Consider that any desert plot may have bad flooding issues as well because monsoon season is very short and provides immense amounts of water very quickly. Be wary of desert properties that have NO grade whatsover as they can be difficult to build on
Thank you for this. There is a so much new information. Its scary buying anything for the first time and we sure payed way more for our loan and process than we needed to because, we didn't know there was things we did not need to have or could have had. Keep up the great videos!
This is really helpful information. Honestly, buying a piece of land sounds so complicated, it’s hardly worth the hassle.
I AGREE 100
Nice vid about buying land. One personal experience I want to add with regards to flood zones. If you can, go and check the property during a heavy downpour if you can, even if you've determined that the land is not in a flood zone. My current house is nowhere near a flood zone. HOWEVER!!! It is the low point for about six other houses, i.e: all the runoff from their lawns runs into mine. Fortunately, the in-house sump system we eventually installed now makes sure the downstairs doesn't get flooded during a heavy rainfall.
Headsup, Jeff : our neighborhood is like yours. Our neighbor's house is the default collection point Nd they also have a sump pump to keep the lower level dry. BUT if the power goes out (which can happen in a storm), that pump wont work. Best to have a backup power source at least for that pump.
@@northernpianotuner3319 we splurged and got a great system. Been in place for about fifteen years and only had to replace a pump once and that was on the company's dime, not mine.
FEMA maps are often incorrect, some properties indicated as being in the flood plain can be recertified as outside the flood zone.
1. Make spreadsheets with acreage price and zoning with pros and cons
2. Look for too much mud or watery dips
3. Get a survey
4. Think about sewage, driveway and driving access, and internet
Don’t forget subdivision restrictions n title ownership👍🏿
I would look for land or property that has an old mobile home or house on it. It should already have a septic system on it. In most states if septic is on the property you can start staying, camping, living on the property immediately.
Also for off grid power. Think about getting a newer solar generator with 15 year battery cycles. Cheaper than a complete solar system. You just add the amount of solar from solar panels that you want. 👍🏽 A lot cheaper than a $12k and higher solar system.
You forgot to tell people that when they purchase the land, they have to pay monthly land tax to the government.
The amount is small at first, but once you construct a house on that land, the monthly land tax will sky rocket. Land tax is valued by the value of the home.
If there is no home on that land, then the amount will be very cheap. So if you have an expensive home, expect the monthly land tax to go up by a big chunk.
I learned this the hard way.
Just blows me away that individuals whom improve with adding a home or any improvement get charged extra for doing so. It's such a double slap in the face when it should actually decrease the tax payment until said owner actually moves on ect because no profit is being made. If mineral rights were sold taxes should be split accordingly.... Because if they come in and log 75% the person holding those rights is the one really profiting. Born into a world of Lunatics.
Kristina, I am originally from Lake Charles but moved to California after graduating high school. Glad I found your video. I am trying to decide on a location for a tiny home in the desert. And what type of tiny home to buy. You gave me some great tips in this video. Thanks 🙂
Why is everything so complicated
Yes.
Yes. @@brightmornings7876
Money is involved, it always gets complicated.
bureaucracy
So people can get their foot-in-the-door to do a gotch-ya moment when you didn't know every single detail to basically bully you.
Kristina, you never cease to awe me with your knowledge. This 10 min nugget opened my eyes even more so now that I'm in the process of a land purchase. I'm definitely going to present questions to the realtor regarding the things you mentioned, stay blessed 🙂👍🏽
Glad it was helpful!
BEWARE, Not all, but MOST Realtors lie so they can make the Sale. I know I was in the Business and witness it happening.
@@janephillips3627 at anytime you can find a new realtor if you feel your realtor doesn’t have your best interest in mind.
What a knowledgeable lady...my goodness...learned quite a bit from your experiences...
I’m so glad you benefited from it. Thank you for watching.
I saved this video in the first minute! Very informative for buying land versus a suburban home. The information you gave would give me confidence that I am buying the property I desire. I am sure this video will help many buyers.
I almost bought terrible land in St Augustine Florida. Not only was it flooded the day the surveyors came- but the property was protected & I would have to buy thousands of acres in a Forest somewhere else entirely- in order to use a fraction of my property.
Which I found out because I was trying to arrange a mulch delivery- THEY were the ones with the map that showed it was restricted- 🚫 I would have been fined thousands of dollars every day until the mulch was removed!! 😮
Insane.
I’m a spreadsheet (wo)man myself! I loved that’s how you started this.
Awesome 👏. I do love me a spreadsheet!!
All so so SO important to know!! When the property next to my mom's finally foreclosed after decades of nothing on it, she was excited to buy it to add to her acreage. But some rando at the auction swooped in and bought it for 10X the asking price! Out of curiosity, my mom asked what he planned to do with it. He said it would make a great summer cottage plot and he couldn't wait to start building. Then my mom asked if he knew there was no land access... Needless to say, he was stunned! He knew about the road that goes to her house, assumed it was public and that he could just extend it. 😂 No sir! Private road on private property. No access through the neighbor on the other side either and the front of the property was blocked by a railroad, which is guaranteed to refuse access unless he knows a couple of insanely rich and powerful people...Only way in to his new property is by boat 😅 Last time we saw them walking onto the property (about a year ago) his wife did NOT look pleased. Expensive lesson to learn.
Solid Gold Kristina! Top notch vid production too. Mineral rights, easements in many areas. Cost of putting in culverts for drive ways or lanes. Utility companies cost to bring power if you have to buy and set poles. It's exhaustive!
@Kristina Smallhorn --- all solid advice. I've been doing this since 1981 -- and this video is solid. Great job.
Thank you friend.
AWESOME!!! I did NOT believe you when you assured me that there would be things in this video I had never heard of. There were at least THREE!!!! KUDDOS TO YOU. I have been researching land for the past 2 years and you caught me with 3 things that I did not know. 😂 I LOVE YOU!! I knew most of what you said; but you totally educated me to 3 things. 😂 Almost all things I watch now I ALWAYS KNOW EVERYTHING that they will say and I am NEVER surprised.
WE LOVE YOU!!
Something I've always found is that it's almost always cheaper to buy a piece of land that already has a house on it, even if the roof has collapsed. It may already have water and sewer, and lots of times it's a much easier process to get permits because lots of times if you save even a little bit of the house it is a remodel as far as permitting is concerned. Sometimes even just saving the foundation is enough. I did a house demo some years back and they had to save the foundation and one wall. And that was a nice wall with a fieldstone fireplace taking up most of it. That was enough for the homeowner to permit the job as a remodel.
Of course you have to do your homework, different municipalities will have different rules
In addition to all you mention, I advise to research to know if water via a well is feasible on the property. I say this, as you can't live there without water, even if the rest of what you mentioned is in place or can be accomplished.
Came back to rewatch as I am in the market for a new home and want. to consider all my options. Thank you, Kristina, for all your valuable videos.
Christina, your advise is invaluable. Thanks for everything you do. Your encouragement helped me get my house recently!
That is SO awesome! Massive Congrats!!!
Just started a land buying process. Glad I came across this video! Thank you for the knowledge!!
Missed one key point. Water municipal supply and wells. What are the drilling conditions for the well or what are the costs for municipal water hookup.
I did mention water, and perk tests. I have other videos that go into more detail about that.
Started watching this video knowing very little. Got to the end and realized I knew less than nothing about buying property. Thank you so much for making this.
What??? I knew Very Little of this information!! Thank you, Kristina!!! This video will be filed away for future reference!!
THANK U SooOOOOOOO
MUCH!!
I am in the process of purchasing land in Detroit Michigan & have plans to buy land in Baton Rouge
I am a Farmer.
So now I know what questions to ask in Detroit & I when I reach Baton Rouge I will Look U up
DEFINITELY.....subscribing
Right now
Pure perfection with this one. Nicely done Kristina! Filing this one away for one day years from now when I'll buy land!
If you are able to rezone ALWAYS re-zone rural. Residential limits what you and future buyers can do with the property! This means it will open you up to more buyers especially if you expect to sell eventually.
Rezone to the highest and best use category. Rural zoning in many cases blocks permitted uses and reduces it's value in the future.
@@stevenbittinger5128 only if your intention is too pack as many homes in as small an area as possible. Otherwise it will allow you to plants more crops and have animals for food and supplies. In many residentially zoned areas you can actually be fined or even arrested for having a an animal other than dog, cat, or other traditional pet. (This does not include chickens, ducks, rabbits...)
Learned so much! Never even considered a “land locked” location! Wow! I knew about mineral rights but I had no idea about timber rights!
Yoooo this is awesome. A friend of mine who got into journalism worked under the tutelage of a widely-respected journalist who gave him this advice for writing great content: provide useful information in every sentence. I appreciate the level of not f-ing around you put into that.
Your energy is as magnetic as it is goofy.
And i Love it! great content, straight to the point, informational, and entertaining
10/10
I've heard of these all before BUT not in the same VERY entertaining video. YOU, young lady are freaking awesome!!! Thank you for what you do. Stay amazing!! All the best to you always. Ciao!
I am from India; always interested in land and am amazed about how much sense this video makes even half way round the world 👍
How much cost per acre rural in India? 2-5000 in Usa
There should be a law that mandates an owner to document all this info with the city or county. Only after this is done should sale be permitted.
All declaration should be signed under penalty of perjury. That would significantly reduce fraud among sellers, and buyer would buy with confidence.
One thing that is county-specific, but when I was going to subdivide my acerage, in order to put a home on the split part, there had to be 150 feet of road adjacent to it.
So... when you're downtown at the courthouse, ask about the requirements to put a new home on a plot.
Also, as she said, the best 'land' buy have old MHs or houses on them... (which will cost about $2000 to get rid of)
Easily one of if not the best videos I’ve happened across from the spreadsheet to the break downs without any fluff while staying entertaining
Wow Kristina....I have learned so much from this episode. Mind-blowing and will save me lots of money when I do decide to buy land. All of those tips are very important and thank you so much for sharing. I really feel more confident with the information learned via this video today. Keep up the great work.
Many states and their counties now have their own website for the county assessors office, and in most cases you can now view property ownership, even on raw land, on the internet without having to contact a title company. Its a lot easier for people to do a quick online search verse call a company that may take a week to get back to your voicemail.
The timing of this pertinent information is impeccable. Thank you! Glad your video popped up. I just subscribed. Many things to think about before plopping money down on a piece of land.
This is the best video that I have watched on the subject. Most things I had thought about but others I had no idea. Thanks for such an informative video!
I love your video on purchasing land I’m a real estate broker here in Florida and everything that you have there applies to the people that I work with and mentor in my own small company. I’m planning on presenting your UA-cam to my group of 10 or 12 people tomorrow morning on Monday because it’s so well done I couldn’t of said the items that you had in a better way thank you so much for that and thank you for sharing I was wondering if you can give a little bit of a bio about your background you’re obviously a professional and I really appreciate what you’ve put out there!
Just found your channel. Looking to buy property. Tired of paying rent in this awful city. Thanks sooooooooo much for this video. I have learned more in this 10 minutes if I were to do my own research .YOOOOOOU ARE AMAZING and I look forward to reviewing you other videos for more education. 😊❤👍!!!
This video is jammed packed with valuable info & I’ll be using it. Thanks so very much for sharing.
Remind me of this one property a coworker told me. He said a person can buy the land but there is no way for the new owner to get to his land except by air.
Talk about great timing on putting this video up! I have been looking at some land in the Oklahoma City area with plans on building a house, my other plan is on also making it a rental property. I already own a Triplex but now I feel like building a brand new house that way I know there won't be any problems with it, at least for a while.
One of my new favorite channels. You're both informative and engaging. This was a particularly useful video. Thank you.
great video, thanks. Couple of other considerations to pile on ... Septic system in place needs to be verified that it's been constructed properly, & still functioning well. Also, that it's within the restrictions of distance from property lines & more importantly from a well. Another thing to observe is the natural ground cover that might tell you a bit about the drainage ability or water retention. You could also ask about any geotecnical work done on property (soil investigation), or any holes dug by a machine that would tell a story of soil conditions. cheers jv
Thank you Kristina!!!! I am retired an I consider buying lend next to the lake or a pond for a cabin for fishing thank you for the information end you knowledge!!!! You open my eyes!!!! thank you very match !!!!!!
You forgot Fire zones! In lots of parts of the southwest US, if your land is in a firezone, you might not be able to even afford the insurance IF you can even get it! USAA is one of the few banks that will consistently cover homes/land in fire zones and not totally break the bank.
We have land in another country.. But NO MATTER where you're thinking about purchasing.. this is GREAT INFO! THANK YOU!
MANY years ago when I was 19 (I am no 66 y.o.) I put a deposit on a 22 acre piece of land in Kerhonkson NY (upstake in the Catskills). The title search came back showing a 99 year lease (about 70 left) of the mineral rights to Gulf and Weston. I needed permission to drill a well for water. I said no thanks and got my deposit back. With my like I would have hit oil or gas and gotten no $$$ benefits.
@Eviscerate Anywhere there are politicians involved, there is thievery and corruption.
@Eviscerate crazy. Greedy government.
@@EviscerateYT what !oh nyy
This was suuuuper helpful! Thank you so much!!! To the point, engaging, just ❤!
Kristina, could you do a video on going through the search process and purchasing a prefab or a double wide? As if you were the customer, what to watch out for and negotiating a deal? Like financing or money up front and how to better your position in the deal? All the fees and gotchas to watch out for?
I'd love a video like that!
Great "stay out of trouble" worksheet! Most buyers coming from somewhere else....its worth mentioning, don't rely/take word of local seller's pros, or local title pros, etc, for any of the info. Really easy to get "homered" ...and double that if you're selling such a property from outside the area...
Kristina, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the property buying tips! No realtor has ever mentioned these things!
I’m glad you found the video resourceful.